That Night
by Newind
Summary: When Ichigo took off without a word to train with the Vicard, what did he leave behind? Don't worry, it's not THAT sad of a story.


**Title:** That Night

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach. But I do own the bleach I use for my toilet:P Nyahhh!!! ahem.

**AN:** The timeline is the day after the fight with Grimmjaw's illegal troops. Uhh, around Episode-124 or 125 like that.

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"Ichigo..." Rukia sighed unconsciously to herself as she ran through the busy streets of downtown Karakura, her sharp indigo eyes searching high and low for a certain bright orange head. Her eyes lit up suddenly and she agilely weaved her way through throngs of humans as quickly as her gigai allowed.

"Ichigo!" Reaching out a hand, she grabbed the shoulder of a man much taller than herself and whirled him around to face her.

Her high spirits diminished immediately when she saw an entirely different face from which she was expecting. Her shoulders slumped heavily and she let go of his shoulder, sighing again.

Just as she was about to turn away, a harsh hand seized her wrist and pulled her back to meet a snarling, angry face.

"What the hell?! You rudely disturb me and you dare to walk away without a 'sorry'?" The boy she mistook for her partner yelled. Now that she looked closer, his hair was dyed a horrible dark orange. How she mistook the color for the much more natural orange Ichigo had, she didn't know.

The grasp on her wrist tightened and she growled in annoyance.

"Let go." Her eyes flashed dangerously as she glared up at the delinquent school boy. Her body was already wound up as tight as a spring, hands clenching into fists and dark, smoldering anger threatening to overflow. She had never felt so frustrated in a long time. Even the hot sun could do nothing for that feeling. If possible, it only aggravated her more.

"We--well.." A bead of sweat ran down the boy's face and Rukia felt a slight satisfaction run through her. She suddenly yanked her wrist forcefully out of his hand and delivered a brutal kick to his nether regions.

"Don't ever touch me again." She spoke coldly to the doubled over figure. She was sorely tempted to yell and kick him another time. "You disgust me."

With that, she turned on her heel and disappeared in the crowd.

Glaring at the pavement in front of her, she raked her mind as to where the stupid strawberry went. She was very sure that he wasn't in town, as she had been scouting that area since morning. Maybe he was at Uruhara's!

She slowed to a stop and surveyed her surroundings. She was now well out of the crowded streets of Karakura town and was now beside a river, in an area in which many things happened when she first came to the human world. Home was just a few blocks away.

"Ichigo..." She sighed again, then promptly hit herself on the head while chastising herself for saying his name one too many times. Groaning at the back of her throat, she sat down wearily at the banks of the river.

Idiot Ichigo...running off like that. She sighed as her arms went to cushion her head on bent knees, letting the hot afternoon sun beat down on her back. He was not at Uruhara's. He said so himself yesterday night, when she had asked him to go ask Uruhara about the hollow inside Ichigo. For some reason, she could not wipe the look Ichigo gave her when she told him off after Orihime healed her.

No.

There was a reason. Of all the time she had spent with the tall shinigami, that pathetic look, that defeated look, was what she never wanted to see on his face. Ever. Those sad eyes, boring into her own made her want to cry. She never cried though. She was strong. Her mind flashed back spitefully to the tears she shed when she was about to be executed.

"Keh, that was different." She mumbled to herself.

Still, the emotion behind his eyes held guilt. That was what bothered her the most. His guilt towards what? Orihime, Chad and herself getting hurt? Not being capable of protecting his friends? Didn't she tell him to get stronger and to swear again that he will protect his nakama again? That idiot! Where is he now? He had better not be running away from his problems or brooding around somewhere. Even if he was committing suicide right now, she'd kill him all over again when he went to Soul Society.

"Idiot!" Her fist slammed down on the wet soil. A stab of guilt embedded itself deeply into her heart.

She scoffed.

Like she had the right so say anything about Ichigo. She was the one who bestowed this cursed power on him. She was the one who opened this whole new door of problems for him. She was the one who forced this dangerous and troublesome life upon him. His guilt towards what? It was her guilt, dammit! She was the guilty one. Everything was her fault.

Her brows furrowed and she squeezed her eyes tightly. Grasping her forearm harder, she stayed in that position for awhile before she let out a weak chuckle. If anyone saw her right now, they'd think that she was the one going to commit suicide. Or maybe they'd mistake her for a uniform clad beach ball.

She was still tense, but she slowly untangled herself and stood up. She had no right to doubt Ichigo either. He went through so many hardships but still managed to pull through. This was another stepping stone for him and she would support him all the way.

Firm with her resolution, but shoulders heavy with guilt, she walked back home slowly, quietly accepting the hot lashes of the suns rays.

-  
When she reached home, the pitter patter of feet greeted her ears and she soon found herself looking at a much dejected Yuzu.

"Rukia-chan, how did it go? Did you find Onii-chan?" Rukia had to look away at the hopeful expression of Ichigo's little sister.

"No...I'm sorry."

The sound of Yuzu starting to cry made her look up, but her eyes soon fell to the side and she sighed softly again. Karin smiled weakly and put her hand on her sister's shoulder, guiding her back into the kitchen, leaving Rukia standing there, much put out.

That night, the lights of the city shone as brightly as ever, as if a large search for the missing shinigami was in action. Rukia let out a breath softly from her perch on the roof, hand phone held surely in her palm.

"I can't even sense his reiatsu." Rukia spoke quietly. "Ichigo...where are you?"

She couldn't believe it really. A boy who didn't know how to control his reiatsu and lets it spill out in a chaotic mess. If he were somewhere in the Karakura vicinity, even from where she was now, she could locate him without any problem.

Now...

It was as if he disappeared. Just up and went.

A cold, foreboding wind almost knocked her over. Disheveled, Rukia grunted and started her climb down to her window. Damn that wind for mirroring her feelings.

Damn that Ichigo for making feel like this.

Her thoughts of damnation stopped short when she found herself in a very nostalgic room.

The desk was neat. Too neat. The floor, clean. Too clean.

She walked over to the cupboard and slid it open. Her mattress was still there, but it was folded into two to make space for extra pillows and blankets.

"Hmph."

She turned around.

The bed.

The sheets.

Too straight!

With a huge leap, she landed on the bed, successfully ruining the 'new and unused' look it had. Looking at it critically, Rukia ruffled the comforter a little more and bounced a little more on the bed. Satisfied it had the look of 'Ichigo was here', the small shinigami nestled her head on the pillow. Now it had a squashed in look as if somebody was there!

She smiled a little to herself and yawned.

"Where are you, Ichigo?" She whispered as her eyes slid shut bit by bit.

The door clicked open.

"Ah! Oh...Rukia-chan?" A timid, girlish voice brought the black haired girl right back from dreamland. Rukia sat up abruptly and stared at Ichigo's little sister with curious eyes.

"Yuzu? What happened?" Rukia asked with a gentle tone. The poor girl looked like she was about to bolt.

"Ano...no...It's nothing." Yuzu stammered while holding Postaff tighter. Kon made a noticeable effort to stay quiet. "It's just that...I had a nightmare about..Ichi-nii..." She sniffed and started to turn to the door. "It's nothing, sorry. I'll just g-go back to bed n-now."

"He'll come back."

Yuzu stopped in her tracks and turned her tear filled eyes towards the kind indigo eyes of the girl on her brother's bed.

"Ichigo will come back. For sure." Rukia gave her a little smile.

"Really?"

"Really."

Rukia was rewarded a hope filled grin from the young girl. Suddenly, she didn't feel as cold as before.

"Ne, Rukia-chan?" Yuzu asked, feeling a little braver.

"Yes?"

"C-can I sleep here? With you?" Her large watery eyes and her hugging Postaff against her chest was an image too cute to bear. Rukia smiled reassuringly.

"Of course."

With that, Rukia shifted to make space for Yuzu as she climbed up. Just as they were about to surrender themselves to unconsciousness, the door opened again.

"A-ano..." This time, it was Karin. Words were left unsaid as both girls scooted over. With a shy smile, the more hard-headed of the twins joined them.

That's right. Rukia thought as the two children drifted off to sleep. Ichigo would definitely come back. She ran a motherly hand through Yuzu's fringe and smiled fondly at Karin who was starting to snore. He had so much here. His family. He would never leave them behind. He would never leave her behind. Rukia lay down on her side and pulled the covers over the three of them. Yawning, she drifted off to sleep, her weary body finally relaxing.

A few hours later found Isshin searching high and low for his daughters in their room. Wondering where they all went, he smiled in relief when he opened the door to his eldest room. Although it was well past dawn, the bearded man decided to give them a few more hours of sleep. After all, they had a tiring day searching and worrying over his good for nothing son yesterday.

Walking over to the sleeping trio, he tugged the covers more snugly over them.

"Come back soon, brat." He said quietly. "But while you get stronger, I'll protect them for you."

He just hoped that wherever his son was, his words were heard.

When the door closed and footsteps faded away, Kon sniggered under the covers. Who says Ichigo gets all the girls? The teddy bear sighed in bliss as he snuggled against Rukia's chest. Don't come back, Ichigo!

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**AN:** What did you think? I might continue this when Ichigo comes back in the anime. I hope I got all the characters correct...I'd appreciate any critique you can give. I wonder if my writing style has changed..Thanks for reading:D 


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